Noiseless bathtub



July 16, 1957 c. KEPLER NoIsELEss BATHTUB Flad March 22, 1955 INVENTOR United States Patent NOISELESS BATHTUB Clarence Leroy Kepler, Port Huron, Mich.

Application March 22, 1955, Serial No. 495,870

1 Claim. (Cl. 4--173) This invention relates to a bathtub, and it particularly relates to a bathtub of the noiseless type.

The common type of bathtub now generally in use provides for a Water inlet spicket or nozzle at the upper portion of one end of the bathtub, with the drain opening in the bottom wall of the bathtub directly under the spicket. When the tub is being filled, the water falls down into the tub from the spicket and causes a splashing noise, first against the bare bottom of the tub, and then, as the tub begins to fill, against accumulated water in the tub. Furthermore, when it is desired to wash the tub before or after use, the water from the spicket first forms a pool under the spicket, and this pool of water must be splashed around by hand in order to rinse out the tub. This pool of water quickly becomes dirty and the plug must be constantly removed from the drain to allow the dirty water to drain out, andthe water must be constantly replenished in order to effectively rinse out the tub.

In addition to the above disadvantages, the ordinary types of bathtubs have inwardly projecting obstacles such as spickets, handles and Ithe like, which are apt to cause serious injury to a bather who falls in the tub.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a bathtub where a clear stream of constantly running water can be used to rinse out the tub.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bathtub where splashing noises are substantially eliminated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bathtub which is free Aof dangerous projections.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improved bathtub, of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly ellicient in operation.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a bathtub embodying 'the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a bathtub, generally designated 10, which comprises a bottom wall 12, a pair of end walls 14 and 16, and a pair of side walls 18 and 20. The tub is supported on legs 22.

The bottom wall 12 is inclined downwardly from the wall 16 to the wall 14, as best shown in Fig. 2. The wall 16 is provided with an inlet opening 24 adjacent the bottom wall. This inlet opening is not provided with a spicket, as in the case of prior bathtubs, so that there is no projecting protuberance at the inlet. As the water issues from the opening 24, it ows down Ithe inclined bottom wall 12 is also somewhat convexly curved, as best 2,799,025 Patented July 16, i957 bottom wall toward Ythe opposite end of the tub. The

seen in Fig. 3, so thatthe incoming water not only flows downwardly toward the opposite end, but also flows toward the sides of the tub. The inlet 24 is supplied with water by a pipe 26 which is coupled to a supply pipe 28, outside the tub, by a T-coupling 30. The supply pipe 28 is, in turn, connected to a hot water pipe 32 and a cold Water pipe 34 by means of a T-coupling 36 connected to manually operated valves 38 and 40 having operating handles shown respectively at 42 and 44. These handles are outside the tub, in contrast to the ordinary types of tubs. The pipes 32 and 34 are connected to their respective sources of supply, not shown, in the ordinary manner.

A drain opening 46 is provided in the bottom wall 12 adjacent the wall 14. An overflow opening 48 is provided in the wall 14. A pipe 50 connects the drain opening 48 to a pipe 52, under the tub, by means of coupling 54. The pipe 52 is connected to a coupling 56 which, nturn, connects the drain opening 46 to a pipe 58. The pipe 58 leads to a drainage depository, not shown, through a coupling 60. Peripheral flanges 62 and 64 extend laterally outward from the top edges of the tub walls 14 and 16 into contact with the room walls 66 and 68. Peripheral flanges 70 and 72 extend from the tops of the side walls, the flange 70 having a vertical apron 74 extending to the oor 76 and the flange 72 contacting the room wall 7S. These flanges, made of the same material as the tub, act as coverings for the pipe structure on the outside of the tub.

If desired, the pipe structure at the ends of the tub may be installed within the room walls, as indicated in dotted outline at 80 in Fig. 2.

In operation, when the Water is let into the tub through the inlet, the water flows along the bottom of the tub and, as lthe amount of water increases in the tub, the incoming water flows under the surface of the water. In this manner, there is no splashing. When the tub is to be emptied, the drain 46 is opened to permit the water to flow out from the tub. Then, when it is desired to wash ithe tub, the tub is first scoured with a detergent powder or the like and a rinsing action is effected by causing the water to flow out of the inlet 24 and through the tub, to be drained out through the drain outlet 46 at the appointed end. No hand swirling of the water is necessary since the rinsing action takes place during the continuous flow of the water through the tub from the inlet at one end vto the outlet at the other end.

If a bather were to slip or fall in the tub, there would be no danger of his being injured by projecting spickets or other fixtures.

Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

A silent filling and emptying bathtub comprising a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls and a bottom wall all integrally formed as one piece, said bottom Wall inclining downwardly from one end wall to the opposite end wall, a water inlet comprising an opening in said one end wall at the bottommost part thereof adjacent the high end of said inclined bottom wall, conduits outside said bathtub connecting said inlet to a source of water, manual operating water control means in said conduits located outside an upward projection of said side and end bathtub walls, and a drain opening in said inclined bottom wall at its lowermost portion adjacent said opposite end wall, whereby said water inlet and drain openings remain under water for the maximum period during illing and emptying While the water flows always from the inlet high end of saidinclined bottom wall towardthe drain 10W end ofl saidl inclined bo\ttom,wa1l, and thel possibility of injury 5 by said Water control means. to a bather is minimized.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Exton-Porter Apr. 5, 

